Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Fisnics Lired.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Fisnics Liredxe2x80x99.
The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany and Galder, Gran Canaria, Spain. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new medium-sized Impatiens cultivars with an early to medium flowering response and large rounded flowers with attractive coloration.
The new Impatiens originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor during the spring of 1999 of the Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Fisnics Scarlet Blush, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,227, as the female, or seed, parent with the Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Danharfuch, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Fisnics Lired was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Galder, Gran Canaria, Spain in April, 2000.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken in Galder, Gran Canaria, Spain, since July, 2000, has shown that the unique features of this new Impatiens are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Fisnics Liredxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Fisnics Liredxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct Impatiens cultivar:
1. Outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant habit; medium growth habit.
2. Freely branching and freely flowering habit.
3. Dark green-colored foliage.
4. Large, rounded and red-colored flowers that are positioned above and beyond the foliage.
Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the female parent, the cultivar Fisnics Scarlet Blush. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany, plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants of the cultivar Fisnics Scarlet Blush in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Impatiens were smaller than plants of the cultivar Fisnics Scarlet Blush.
2. Plants of the new Impatiens and the cultivar Fisnics Scarlet Blush differed in leaf coloration.
3. Flowers of plants of the new Impatiens were red in color whereas flowers of plants of the cultivar Fisnics Scarlet Blush were orange red in color.
Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the male parent, the cultivar Danharfuch. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany, plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants of the cultivar Danharfuch in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Impatiens and the cultivar Danharfuch differed in leaf and leaf venation coloration.
2. Flowers of plants of the new Impatiens were red in color whereas flowers of plants of the cultivar Danharfuch were dark purple pink in color.
Plants of the new Impatiens can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Balcebscapi, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 10/359,751. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany, plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants of the cultivar Balcebscapi in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Impatiens were taller than plants of the cultivar Balcebscapi.
2. Plants of the new Impatiens had darker green-colored leaves than plants of the cultivar Balcebscapi.
3. Leaves of plants of the new Impatiens had longer petioles than leaves of plants of the cultivar Balcebscapi.
4. Plants of the new Impatiens had larger flowers than plants of the cultivar Balcebscapi.
5. Flowers of plants of the new Impatiens were red in color whereas flowers of plants of the cultivar Balcebscapi were orange red in color.